Pope Francis says he will visit Iraq as a pilgrim of peace

Pope pays tribute to Iraqis who have suffered from years of violence

On the eve of his historic trip to Iraq, Pope Francis paid tribute on Thursday to those who have suffered from years of violence, saying he came as a "pilgrim of peace".

In a video message, the Pope, 84, offered his hand to "brothers and sisters of other religions", but also highlighted the heavy toll paid by Iraq's Christian communities, saying there had been "too many martyrs".

"I long to meet you, to see your faces, to visit your land, ancient and extraordinary cradle of civilisation," the Pope said.

"I come as a pilgrim, a penitent pilgrim to implore forgiveness and reconciliation from the Lord after years of war and terrorism.

"I come as a pilgrim of peace in search of fraternity, animated by the desire to pray together and to walk together, also with the brothers and sisters of other religions," he said.

The Pope also tweeted his message: "Tomorrow I will go to #Iraq for a three-day pilgrimage. I have long wanted to meet those people who have suffered so much. I ask you to accompany this apostolic journey with your prayers, so it may unfold in the best possible way and bear hoped-for fruits."

The Pope, making his first foreign trip since the coronavirus pandemic swept Europe a year ago, will arrive in Iraq on Friday before embarking on a packed schedule of events through to Sunday.

From central Baghdad to the Shiite shrine city of Najaf, welcome banners featuring his image and Arabic title "Baba Al Vatican" already dot the streets.

From Ur, the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham in the southern desert, to ravaged Christian towns in the north, roads are being paved and churches refurbished.

Among the most extraordinary moments of the trip will be his one-on-one meeting with Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, the highly reclusive cleric, who is the top religious authority for many of the world's Shiite Muslims.

Francis is fulfilling the dream of a predecessor, John Paul II, by visiting Iraq – despite a rampaging coronavirus epidemic and a surge in violence.

Volunteers finalise preparations to recieve Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira) in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Volunteers stand holding posters welcoming Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira) in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Posters welcoming Pope Francis are prepared at St. Joseph's Chaldean Church ahead of the Pope's visit, in Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo

Men stand holding a poster by UNESCO welcoming Pope Francis at a cultural centre in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Pope Francis is preparing for what the Vatican website describes as the "apostolic journey of the holy father" to Iraq this week. Francis' visit will be the first by a pope to Iraq, and Roman Catholics are busy preparing for his arrival. Here, work is done on the roof of St Mary Al Tahira Church at Qaraqosh near Mosul, one of the churches on the Pope's schedule. Getty Images

A worker helps to prepare Erbil international Stadium, also known as the Franso Hariri Stadium, for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

An Iraqi Christian visits a building in Qaraqosh, Iraq, that bears the scars of ISIS violence. Reuters

Father Ammar Altony Yako leads prayers as Christians attend mass at the Grand Immaculate Old Church in Qaraqosh, the largest church in Iraq. Pope Francis is scheduled to visit on Sunday as part of his tour. Reuters

The town of Qaraqosh was ravaged by ISIS after 2014 and liberated from the extremists in 2017. Christians of all denominations have joined in an effort to encourage their communities to return. Reuters

Christian militiamen and police officers stand guard at a gate in Qaraqosh, Iraq. Reuters

Staff at a shop in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, print flyers for Pope Francis's visit. AFP

Workers print flyers of Pope Francis at a shop in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, ahead of the first-ever papal visit to Iraq. AFP

Musicians from a joint Kurdish and Christians orchestra and choir rehearse at Erbil international Stadium, also known as the Franso Hariri Stadium, for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

Choristers from a joint Kurdish and Christians orchestra and choir rehearse at Erbil international Stadium for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

Banners and Iraqi and Vatican flags go up in central Baghdad to welcome Pope Francis. EPA

The security challenges were highlighted on Wednesday when a rocket attack hit a base where US-led coalition troops are stationed, which came after several weeks of escalating US-Iran tensions on Iraqi soil.

The Pope said on Wednesday that he was determined not to disappoint the Iraqi people.

But concerns over security and tight restrictions imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19 mean that most Iraqis will have to follow the trip on television.

Although the Pope enjoys being among his faithful, crowds at his events will be limited, while he will mostly travel in an armoured, covered car.

A woman walks near a poster of Pope Francis upon his coming visit to Iraq, in Baghdad. REUTERS

Iraq's Christian community is one of the oldest and most diverse in the world, with Chaldeans and other Catholics making up about half, along with Armenian Orthodox, Protestants and others.

By 2003, when the US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, Christians made up about 6 per cent of Iraq's 25 million people.

But after years of bloodshed and departures, the numbers have fallen to just 400,000 today.

The Argentine Pope said he was "honoured to meet a martyred Church" and thanked them for their faith.

There had been "too many martyrs", he said, while survivors "have in your eyes the images of destroyed houses and desecrated churches, and in your hearts the wounds of loved ones left behind and homes abandoned".

He said the Roman Catholic Church that he leads "encourages you to go on".

Francis also paid tribute to the minority Yazidi community, "who have suffered so much".

Thousands of Yazidis were killed and women taken into sexual slavery when ISIS swept through Iraq in 2014.